Head of Operations Economics & AI Enablement

Mukuru is looking for a commercially minded and forward-thinking Head: Operations Economics & AI Enablement to lead the identification, prioritisation and delivery of high-impact operational improvement opportunities.

This role sits at the intersection of operations, economics, data and artificial intelligence. You will help determine where Mukuru should focus its improvement efforts, ensure AI solutions address real operational challenges and build the commercial evidence needed to demonstrate measurable value.

You will set the direction. The AI Enablement team will help turn that direction into working solutions.

• Identify operational areas where AI, automation, data and process redesign can create meaningful value.
• Prioritise opportunities according to their operational and commercial impact.
• Translate complex operating challenges into clear, measurable improvement initiatives.
• Establish strong business cases for proposed solutions.
• Ensure projects are connected to agreed business priorities and operational outcomes.

• Define the financial and operational measures for each initiative.
• Establish credible performance baselines before solutions are implemented.
• Track the before-and-after impact of operational changes.
• Work with Finance to support the validation and certification of savings.
• Ensure value is sustained beyond initial implementation.

• Set build priorities for AI-enabled operational solutions.
• Guide the development of practical use cases using LLMs, AI agents, forecasting, optimisation and anomaly-detection models.
• Quality-assure solutions, prompts, controls and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure AI is used to solve genuine business problems rather than being adopted for technology’s sake.
• Help move successful ideas from experimentation into sustainable operational use.

• Ensure initiatives operate within approved security, data and technology guardrails.
• Partner with Technology and AiOps teams when solutions require core-system integration, enterprise platforms or customer-facing capabilities.
• Establish appropriate governance, monitoring and decision-making controls.
• Ensure implemented solutions remain reliable, relevant and maintainable.

• Partner with COO portfolio owners, Country Managers, Finance, BI analysts and technology teams.
• Create alignment between operational challenges, data requirements and technical solutions.
• Enable teams to adopt and maintain new ways of working.
• Encourage knowledge-sharing and reduce duplicated effort across AI and BI initiatives.

• Create clarity around priorities, ownership and expected outcomes.
• Challenge initiatives that do not have a clear operational or commercial case.
• Monitor delivery, risks, dependencies and value realisation.
• Communicate progress, insights and decisions clearly to senior stakeholders.

• Senior experience in operational strategy, business transformation, operational economics, AI enablement, data-led improvement or a related field.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Experience developing business cases and assessing operational value.
• A practical understanding of AI, automation, analytics and their application within business operations.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving Operations, Finance, BI and Technology.
• The ability to translate complex technical or operational information into clear executive decisions.
• Experience in fintech, payments, financial services or multi-country operations would be advantageous.

• Think commercially and act practically.
• Ask the right questions before investing in a solution.
• Can connect technology decisions to operational and financial outcomes.
• Are comfortable challenging assumptions and setting priorities.
• Influence effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
• Balance innovation with responsible governance.
• Care about measurable value, not activity for activity’s sake.
• Can lead through complexity and create clarity for others.